Target: Sky Xu, CEO of SHEIN Group
Goal: Ensure child labor, forced labor, and other forms of labor exploitation are not part of company’s supply chain.
TikTok darling SHEIN has a troubling history with its labor standards. The retailer has often been accused of turning a blind eye to potential human slavery and sweatshop conditions within its supply chain. Now, SHEIN’s own Sustainability and Social Impact Report indicates the concerns extend to child labor.
In the report, SHEIN audits identified at least two cases of child labor (defined in China as employing a person under 16 years of age). But it’s the retailer’s response to the incidents that is causing even more outrage. A spokesperson said, “in accordance with the SRS Policy in place at the time, errant suppliers were given 30 days to remediate their offences. Both cases were resolved swiftly, with remediation steps including terminating contracts with underage employees, ensuring the payment of any outstanding wages, arranging medical checkups and facilitating repatriation to parents/legal guardians as needed. SHEIN also ensured the contract manufacturers strengthened their processes for screening new hires, such as checking and maintaining records of all employees’ IDs. Following appropriate remediation, the contract manufacturers were permitted to resume business.”
In other words, these clear violations of workplace standards and of the law were met with a warning by process’ end. The suppliers who engaged in child labor practices are seemingly still a part of SHEIN. While the company has allegedly since revised its contract termination policy, strict enforcement needs to be a priority, and the report of horrendously overworked employees still needs to be addressed.
Sign the petition below to demand SHEIN implement a concrete and comprehensive labor policy that holds all its suppliers to full account.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Xu,
When reports arose that SHEIN leadership reportedly allowed third-party suppliers linked to child labor cases to resume dealings with the company, the news did not inspire confidence in SHEIN’s stated stance against forced labor. These suppliers should be terminated at once under SHEIN’s revised termination policy, and this policy must be strictly enforced going forward…as should the immediate termination of any supplier refusing an audit. Furthermore, the reports of many third-party suppliers working employees for more than 75 hours a week merit prompt remediation.
If this company truly values and respects the contributions of the laborers behind its success, prove it. Devise and deploy the strongest and most enforceable labor policy in the business.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Raysonho
202 Signatures